Orlando Pinstriped Post, an Orlando Magic community

[Ray] Allen brought up an interesting point: Did [Rashard] Lewis test positive before the Eastern Conference semifinals, in which the Magic beat the Celtics in seven games? Lewis was tested once before the NBA Finals and then again during the Finals. He tested positive for DHEA both times.

"When did he take the drug test?’’ Allen asked. "Because if he took the drug test during our series, we’re supposed to be playing in the conference finals.’’

[Rafer Alston] harbors no grudge [toward the Magic]. He admits that he wishes Stan Van Gundy could have better communicated his decision to bench him for long periods against the Lakers ("The thing is, we wanted to adjust to it"), but he left on good terms. And Alston left for a place he wants to be, mindful that he could be a third-stringer behind Devin Harris and Keyon Dooling, once the latter heals from hip surgery.

After losing to the Lakers and their big front line in the NBA Finals, the Magic are expected to make offers next week in free agency to both veteran Rasheed Wallace of Detroit and young Brandon Bass of Dallas, according to two NBA sources.

[Anthony] Johnson told a local Charleston ABC television affiliate in South Carolina on Monday that he would opt-in next year.

Orlando Magic guard Mickael Pietrus won't receive any further discipline from the NBA for his flagrant foul against Pau Gasol in the closing seconds of Game 4.

Pietrus slammed into Gasol's back with both arms as Gasol dunked with 3.4 seconds left in overtime to put Los Angeles ahead 98-91. Gasol then turned toward Pietrus and the two exchanged words, resulting in a double technical.

We've worked extremely hard to get to where we're at today, so we weren't just happy with making it to The Finals and handing the Lakers an easy championship. We believe that if we play our game and play our style of basketball, this will be our year to win it. But we have to go out there and take it.

[Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy] copped to leaving Jameer Nelson out on the court for too long in the second quarter of Game 1, but dismissed any pop psychology behind Nelson's second quarter presence (he played all 12 minutes) having anything to do with Rafer Alston's ohfer five shooting in the second half.

On behalf of Orlando General Manager Otis Smith, the Magic have activated Jameer Nelson and placed Tyronn Lue on the Inactive List. Orlando meets the L.A. Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight at 9 p.m. ET.

"He did a great job of that right off the bat," [Kobe] Bryant said. "He’s a natural. The thing about Dwight is he continues to work on his game and you see improvement, sometimes monthly. You see him adding new things to his game, which says a lot about him."

"I think [Jameer Nelson] is ready to play right now," Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy said today. "How much he can do, I don't know. I don't really think our guys need an emotional boost. I don't think it's going to be like a Willis Reed moment or anything."